Wed, 02/22/2012 - 20:15 — Anonymous We are thrilled to announce that
we've hired two new writers for GGTG. Katie Lipovsky and Amy Whitley will
be joining us starting in March. They'll be sharing their favorite tips,
destinations, and travel stories every week. To help you get to know them a
little better we've put together a short Q&A.Meet Katie *Tell us about your
travel experiences.*I caught the travel bug in 2006. Since then I've
traveled to over 25 countries. More than that, I've been able to experience
life in many of them. While living in South Africa for 4 years, I explored
countless cities and cultures throughout sub-Saharan Africa.*In what ways do
you consider yourself green?*I've been vegetarian for quite a few years,
mainly because of the environmental impact meat production has on the
environment. My husband and I tend to focus on long-term travel. Going at a
slower pace means we get a more authentic experience, but also lessens the
impact we're having on the environment.*What types of interesting tips and
adventures can we look forward to hearing from you?*We've been lucky enough
to do a lot of long-term travel, I'm excited to share tips on how that's
worked so well for us. After living in Africa for a few years, I have a lot
of tips for overlanding and traveling through the massive continent.Also,
later this year we're moving to Scotland. I'm excited for this new
adventure, and I'm sure I'll be sharing all sorts of lessons we learn as
we prepare to move overseas again.*Where else do you write on the web?*I
co-founded Peas in a Blog with one of my best friends. We focus on
vegetarian food and fitness. But, because we both love travel, we throw it in
as much as we can!Meet Amy***Tell us about your travel experiences.*I was one
of those kids fortunate to have parents and grandparents who traveled, so
experiencing new places and cultures has always been a priority in my life.
As a child and young adult, I traveled across Europe, Mexico, Canada, and
U.S., and after my own children were born, I was determined to raise them in
the same manner. I quickly learned that while traveling with kids comes with
challenges, the rewards vastly outweigh any inconveniences. Kids adapt to new
places and new people with enviable grace, and I learn as much as they do
when we set forth on each adventure.*In what ways do you consider yourself
green?*Our favorite type of travel involves natural spaces, national parks,
and outdoor exploration. I've been 'green' long before the term was
coined, and I credit this mindset to my appreciation of the outdoors. Because
of this respect for our parks, natural wilderness, and wildlife, it's
important to me to teach my children how to preserve and care for our
environment. To this end, I've been a vegetarian for fifteen years, travel
and explore locally with as light a carbon footprint as possible, and keep an
eye on eco travel products which will help me on this quest (staying away
from excessive packaging, a pet peeve of mine). Am I perfect? Goodness no.
But I believe that green travel is not only possible, but natural.*What types
of interesting tips and adventures can we look forward to hearing from
you?*It's a bit of a mission in my life to convince parents that they can
(and should) travel with their kids, so many of my travel tips and
destination reviews will come from a perspective of family travel. I've
been told I'm one of the most organized people you'll ever 'meet', so
you can expect plenty of travel planning and itinerary tips from me as well.
You'll also see a lot of backpacking and hiking posts, eco product reviews,
and adventure travel tales. If you can hike to it, paddle around it, climb
it, or zip-line across it, I want to go!*Where else do you write on the
web?*I'm the founding editor of Pit Stops for Kids, a family travel site
that reviews hotels and resorts, outdoor spaces, museums, and more across the
U.S. Stop by, and you'll find road trip itineraries, flying tips, our top
ski resort and beach town picks, theme park advice, and more. Every Tuesday,
you'll also find me at Practical Travel Gear, where I review the latest in
outdoor and family travel gear. Occasionally, you'll see me elsewhere, as
I'm a contributor to regional print newspapers and magazines in my home
state of Oregon./*Please join us in welcoming Katie and Amy!*/
